Guide to the Baltic and Russian Methodism Collection 1887-2008 General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church P.O. Box 127, Madison, NJ 07940 1/13/2009
Baltic and Russian Methodism Collection 1887-2008 6.3 cubic feet gcah.ms.4831 The purpose of this finding aid is to help you understand the nature of this collection and to assist you in the retrieval of material from this collection. The following pages contain a brief biographical history of the person, or persons, who created or collected these papers, followed by a general description of the collection in the scope and content note. If more detailed information is warranted then series descriptions also appear. The container listing appears last and is the listing of material in each box, or container, of this collection. To request material you need to turn to the container listing section. It is essentially a listing of file folders, or artifact items, in the collection. Each folder, or item, has a call number associated with it. Each folder also lists the inclusive dates of the material in the folder. On the material request form list both the call number and the folder, or item, title. Use a different line for each folder, or item, requested. When your request sheet is complete, or full, bring it to the archivist and the material will be retrieved. History Note The Methodist Episcopal Church first entered Russia during the late 19th century. By 1874, a few Finnish men, who were members of the Swedish Annual Conference, felt that the church needed to have a presence in both Finland and Russia. It took ten years for Finland to get their first appointed pastor. Russian Methodism had to wait another five years before any formal activity could be realized. Bishop Charles H. Fowler with Helsinki minister, B. A Carlson, rented a house on Vasili Ostroff in St. Petersburg to start the new mission. By November of that same year, the first Methodist congregation was organized with seven members. All of the workers at that time came from Finland, including Sister Anna Eklund, who aided George A. Simons as the officially appointed missionary to the St. Petersburg work. By 1911, there were nineteen appointments to be filled in western Russia. Two additional congregations were set up in Siberia as well. During the First World War and Russian Revolution, Methodist Episcopal charges had only six pastors. Simons left the field in October 1918 to which Sister Eklund stepped in and filled the resultant leadership vacuum. Later bishops John Nuelsen and Raymond Wade visited the work on a haphazard basis until 1939. Once the Second World War really began taking its toll on the Soviet population, the Methodist Church faded into obscurity. A small Methodist remnant survived and was later reinvigorated in 1989 with the General Board of Global Ministries Russian Initiative. Southern Methodism Mission to Russia was divided between Harbin, Manchuria, Nikolsk, Siberia, in the east along with Klarysew, Poland, in the west and whose work primarily focused on the White Russians. The Harbin work was an outgrowth of the established mission work in Korea. When native Korean Southern Methodists migrated north to flee from Japanese occupation, they tended to settle in the Harbin area where many Russians lived as well. The mission was officially established in 1921 under the leadership of Bishop Walter Lambuth. At that time he sent W.G. Cram, J. S. Ryang and Chung Chai Duk to Manchuria as full time missionaries. Under their leadership the work flourished to a point that in more than one thousand persons were members of the church with an additional five thousand in regular attendance. By 1927, Soviet officials barred the presiding bishop from visiting the area to give episcopal oversight. All of the workers were now from Korea who focused their efforts on Korean speaking congregations. The work in Siberia took off after Bishop Boaz sent George Erwin to Vladivostok in 1921. Erwin later transferred to Harbin because of the same Soviet pressure that faced the Manchurian mission. Here he ministered among the ethnic Russians with great success until 1927 when it was dismantled. Korean congregations to struggle for another ten years. Polish work began as an extension of the 1918-1919 Centenary Commission's effort to give relief to war Page 1
ravaged eastern Poland through preaching and social missionand money for Methodist missions. The mission was technically started on June 5, 1919 when the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, voted it an official mission work. Relief became the primary objective of the mission due to deprivation from World War 1. Unlike its filial work in the east, the Polish work survived and continues to this day. Scope Note The largest element of the collection consists of Methodist newspapers from Estonia, Latvia and Russia. The time span for these periodicals range from 1909 to 1940. Here the researcher will find a written record of the church's main activities in these specific geographic areas. Many of the periodicals are not in English but their native tongues. There are, however, some English language documents with the most important being the index for the Russian Christian Advocate. General administration records are the next section within the collection. Various minutes make up the bulk of these records. Other documents include histories of the areas, one local church set of records, an Estonian Book of Discipline (1927), and other ephemera. One of the unique aspects of this collection is Bishop Nuelsen's records while serving as bishop for the Baltic-Russia area. These records were separated out from the general administrative records in order to highlight Nuelsen's work for these annual conferences during the turbulent times they both found themselves in. Most of the documents found here are photocopies. The orginal records can be found at various institutions in the Russian-Baltic region. Arrangement Material has been arranged in the following manner. SERIES: PUBLICATIONS. SERIES: ADMINISTRATION. SERIES: BISHOP JOHN NUELSEN. Related Material Administrative Files Series of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church Administrative files of United Methodist Communications Nuelsen Family Papers Mission Biographical Reference Files Records of the World Division of the General Board of Global Ministries Missionary correspondence of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church Records of the Mission Education and Cultivation Program Department of the General Board of Global Ministries Missionary files series of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church Bishop William Burt Collection Mission Geographical Reference Files Access Restrictions There are no restrictions regarding this collection. Page 2
Restrictions on Use Detailed use restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a formal request for permission to publish is expected and required. Preferred Citation When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Baltic and Russian Methodism Collection, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH,. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable descriptor. Subject Terms Additonal Creators - Personal Nuelsen, John Louis. Additional Creators - Corporate Methodist Church (U.S.). Methodist Episcopal Church Methodist Episcopal Church, South Subject Topics Churches, Methodist Church history Church work Episcopacy Missions Subject Geographic Estonia Finland Latvia Russia Yugoslavia Genre Minutes Newspapers Pamphlets. Publications Table of Contents Publications... 4 Administration... 5 Bishop John Nuelsen... 5 Page 3
Container List Publications 1597-6-1:1 1597-6-1:2 1597-6-1:3 1597-6-1:4 1597-6-1:5 1597-6-1:6 1597-6-2:1 1597-6-2:2 1597-6-2:3 1597-6-2:4 1597-6-2:5 1597-6-2:6 1597-6-3:1 1597-6-3:2 1597-6-3:3 1597-6-3:4 1597-6-3:5 1597-6-3:6 1597-6-3:7 1597-6-4:1 1597-6-4:2 1597-6-4:3 1597-6-4:4 1597-6-4:5 1597-6-4:6 1597-6-5:1 1597-6-5:2 1597-6-5:3 1597-6-5:4 1597-6-5:5 1597-6-5:6 1597-6-6:1 1597-6-6:2 1597-6-6:3 1597-6-6:4 1597-6-6:5 1597-6-6:6 1597-6-6:7 1597-6-7:1 1597-6-7:2 1597-6-7:3 1597-6-7:4 1597-6-7:5 1597-6-7:6 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristlik Kaitsja) - Estonia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aizstavis) - Estonia - 1940 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aizstavis) - Estonia - 1940 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1926 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1926 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1927 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1927 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1928 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1928 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1928 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1931 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1931 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1931 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1932 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1934 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1934 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Kiristigs Aisstahwis) - Latvia - 1934 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1922 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1922 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1929 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1929 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1929 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1930 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1930 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1930 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1933 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1933 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1935 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1935 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1935 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1936 1940 1940 1926 1926 1927 1927 1928 1928 1928 1931 1931 1931 1932 1934 1934 1934 1922 1922 1929 1929 1929 1930 1930 1930 1933 1933 1935 1935 1935 1936 Page 4
1597-6-8:1 1597-6-8:2 1597-6-8:3 1597-6-8:4 1597-6-8:5 1597-6-8:6 1597-6-8:7 1597-7-1:1 1597-7-1:2 1597-7-1:3 1597-7-1:4 1597-7-1:5 1597-7-1:6 1597-7-1:7 1597-7-1:8 1597-7-2:1 1597-7-2:2 1597-7-2:3 1597-7-2:4 1597-7-2:5 1597-7-2:6 1597-7-2:7 1597-7-2:8 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1936 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1936 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1938 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1938 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1938 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1939 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1939 Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - 1939 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1909 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1909 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1910 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1910 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1911 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1912 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1913 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1914 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1915 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1915 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1916 The Methodist Christian Advocate (Khristianski Pobornik) - Russia - 1917 The Missionary Voice - 1921 Methodism in Europe - 1912 Methodist quarterly magazine - Russia - 1927 1936 1936 1938 1938 1938 1939 1939 1939 1909 1910 1910 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1915 1916 1917 1921 1912 1927 Administration 1597-7-3:1 1597-7-3:2 1597-7-3:3 1597-7-3:4 1597-7-3:5 1597-7-3:6 1597-7-6:2 1597-7-6:1 1597-7-6:3 1597-7-6:4 1597-7-6:5 1597-7-6:6 1597-7-6:7 1597-7-6:8 1597-7-6:10 1597-7-6:11 History of Methodism volume 1 - beginning to 1791 - Russia History of Methodism volume 2-1791 to 1887 - Russia Baltic and Slavic Bulletin of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia - to 1927 Minutes of the Finland and St. Petersburg Mission Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church - 1908 Minutes of the third annual meeting of the Siberia-Manchuria Mission (Russian Department) of The Methodist Episcopal Church, South Minutes of the fourth annual meeting of the Siberia-Manchuria Mission (Russian Department) of The Methodist Episcopal Church, South Methodist Church in Kybartai - administrative documents - small copy Methodist Church in Kybartai - administrative documents - large copy Lithuania Church Records Protocol Birzai Kristigs Uifftahwis - Latvia - small copy -1930 Christian Advocate Publishing record from 1910 - incomplete The Romance of a Tract and Its Sequel - The story of an American Pioneer in Russia and the Baltic States George Simons Pamphlet with English Translation Estonian - First Discipline Letter from Bishop Hartzell about appropriations to theafrica Diamond Jubilee Commission of The Methodist Episcopal Church George Simons - Reports of the Superintendent 1887 1887-1927 1908 1908 1908 1930 1910 1928 Undated 1927 1909 1910-1911 Bishop John Nuelsen 1597-7-3:7 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria - 1919-1938 1919-1938 Page 5
1597-7-3:8 1597-7-3:9 1597-7-3:10 1597-7-4:1 1597-7-4:2 1597-7-4:3 1597-7-4:4 1597-7-4:5 1597-7-4:6 1597-7-5:1 1597-7-5:2 1597-7-5:3 1597-7-5:4 1597-7-5:5 1597-7-5:6 1597-7-6:9 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria - 1919-1938 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria Hungary - 1912- Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria Hungary - 1912- Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Austria Hungary - 1912- Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - -1929 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - -1929 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - 1930-1940 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - 1930-1940 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Hungary - 1930-1940 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1919-1928 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1919-1928 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1919-1928 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1929-1940 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1929-1940 Bishop John Nuelsen papers from Yugoslavia - 1929-1940 Bishop John Nuelsen - General 1919-1938 1912-1912- 1912- -1929-1929 1930-1940 1930-1940 1930-1940 1919-1928 1919-1928 1919-1928 1929-1940 1929-1940 1929-1940 Undated Page 6